Cap for wagon-poles.



Nu. 681,875. Patented Sept. 3, Bill.

W. H. CURTS.

CAP FOR WAGON POLES.

(Application filed Oct 25, 1900.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES: n g

[NVE TOR Q QW W 7%4'W74ATTORNEK UNITE TATES I WILLIAM HENRY CURTS, OF MICHIE, MICHIGAN.

CAP FOR WAGON- -POLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,875, dated September 3, 1901.

Application filed October 25, 1900. Serial No. 34,290- (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM HENRY CURTS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Miohie, in the county of Bay and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and usefnl Improvements in Caps for WVagon-Poles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is a cap for wagon-poles and for the poles of double carriages and like vehicles.

The improvements consist in certain arrangements of the parts of a cap for wagonpoles whereby the objects of my invention are accomplished. These objects are, first, to provide a cap to protect the forward end of a wagon or carriage pole, the cap being simple in construction and so arranged that the lines cannot be easily caught by the forward end of the pole, thereby losing control of the team; secondly, to so construct the cap that the ring can be quickly hooked therein and when once hooked cannot become displaced; thirdly, to arrange the catch in the cap so that it cannot become accidentally clogged with mud or ice when the pole end is dropped to the ground, and, fourthly, to provide a cap that can be readily applied to the pole without the aid of a skilled blacksmith and that will permit the use of a shorter tongue or pole.

The device is illustrated in the accompany ing drawings, throughout the several views of which similar letters and characters of reference designate corresponding parts.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the cap. Fig. 2 is a bottom view. Fig. 3 is a perspective -View showing the cap hooked into the ring of a neck-yoke.

As is clearly shown in the drawings, the cap consists in a hooked end 1, open at the bottom and carrying an internal tongue or latch 2, which is pivoted to engage the hooked end 1. This latch opens inwardly and in its closed position rests upon a projection 1, which prevents the latch from dropping. It is held in place by gravity, no springs being required,

thus reducing the liability of clogging the latch by mud or ice lodging thereon. At one side of the latch is a projecting thumb-piece 2, by which the latch can be easily raised to disengage the ring of the neck-yoke from the hook of the cap. To insert the ring B. into the cap, it is only necessary to slip the ring over the cap and pull up, the ring displacing the latch, which then falls back onto the projection 1 and securely locks the ring in the cap. p s

7 The rear end of the hook I is provided with upper and lower concaved prongs 3 and 4, which slip over the front end of the wagonpole and are secured thereto by bolts 3 and 3, that pass through the prongs and the pole. By this arrangement the cap can be easily at tached to a wagon-pole with ordinary tools and without the aid of a skilled blacksmith.

It is thus seen that I have devised a simple, compact, and inexpensive cap for wagon tongues that prevents the neck-yoke from becoming detached and allowing the tongue of the wagon to drop. It is neat in appearance and makes it possible to use a shorter and lighter tongue.

What I claim is- In a cap for wagon-tongues, the combination of a short hooked head having a circular transverse opening and an opening on its lower side; alatch horizontally pivoted in the hooked end and arranged to open inwardly and to close by its own weight; a thumb-piece fixed to the latch for raising it 3 a projection on the hooked end for supporting the latch; and an upper and lower concaved prong integral with said hooked end, whereby the cap is bolted to the end of the wagon-tongue, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM HENRY CURTS.

Witnesses GEo. B. WILLooX, WILLIAM STEPHENS. 

